Summer is the perfect time to get back to nature. And while nature can contain beauty, quiet solitude, and a break from the hustle of a job and city life, it can present its own set of dangers. From insects and animals to rocky trails, and, yes, falling trees, Mother Nature can be an unwelcoming host.
Perhaps that’s part of the allure of camping, but what happens when something goes bad in the great outdoors? Here’s a look:
1. What If I’m Injured Hiking or Camping?
Beyond the question of safety and getting medical attention, you might be wondering who’s responsible for hiking and camping injuries. If you are part of a tour group, the company in charge of the tour may be liable if they were negligent. And state and national parks and other property owners may be responsible for injuries if they knew or should’ve known about dangerous conditions.
2. Yosemite Deaths: How Safe Are National Parks?
As noted above, while national parks are set aside and maintained for the public’s enjoyment of wild and natural landscapes, they are not always perfectly safe. This is especially true if hikers and campers are unaware of hazardous conditions or inclement weather, disregard safety warnings, or wander to far from the trail.
3. Camping Injuries: Who to Sue If a Tree Falls on You
It may sound ridiculous, but falling trees can be fatal. And while a falling tree may seem like an unexpected act of god, campgrounds can be liable for injuries caused by rotting trees or for failing to make campgrounds safe.
We all need a helping hand, now and then. But what if you need a helping helicopter to lift you out of the wilderness? Or a search and rescue team to locate you in the back country? Whether you’ll be on the hook for funding your own rescue may come down to whether you were reckless or negligent leading to your need to be rescued.
5. Are Campground Liability Waivers Legally Enforceable?
The waiver has become ubiquitous in so many scenarios, including summer camps and campgrounds. But do you really sign away any right to sue if you’re injured in a campground?
If you’re injured while hiking or camping this summer, contact an experienced personal injury attorney about your case.
Related Resources:
- Find Personal Injury Lawyers Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
- 3 Things to Know About Camp or Recreational Liability Waivers (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out: Top 7 Summer Injury Tips (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Top 5 Summer Camp Injury Questions (FindLaw’s Injured)
